1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a game such as poker, and may include a method for conducting a poker tournament.
2. Description of the Related Art
Poker games or tournaments have been growing in popularity in recent years, particularly due to the WORLD POKER TOUR and its increasing winnings and through the use of online gaming software such as PARTYPOKER. Because of this, many amateur players have been drawn into poker for both diversion and the chance at winning large jackpots. While these venues have made poker more accessible to the novice player, the increased popularity comes at a cost to more experienced players.
Poker may be seen as a game of skill, where experienced players may bet based on both the cards that are played and on their opponents' betting practices, trying to distinguish when an opponent has a strong hand from when the opponent is bluffing. In contrast, more novice players may disregard these tools and bet solely based on their cards and also may bet hoping that they may “catch a break” and achieve a winning hand, even if they do not recognize that the odds are against them. In these cases, the novice player often may lose out to the more experienced player. At other times, however, the novice player may defy the odds and win a large pot at a late stage of a hand, causing the more experienced player to suffer a loss.
Despite this frustration, more experienced players still want to play in the tournament because of the possibility of ultimately profiting. However, they would prefer to minimize the risk that they may be eliminated or have their chip stack substantially reduced due to a more novice player catching a lucky break.
In addition, a player's skill level and his or her bankroll may not be correlated directly. For example, many experienced players may have a skill level that is advantageous in world-class or high-stakes tournaments, but they may not be able to afford the buy-ins that accompany those tournaments.
What is needed is a game that overcomes the drawbacks described above.